WHAT IS MY SKIN TYPE?
Skin typing is not a precise analysis and your skin condition can change from day to day. Also, it must not be confused with your current skin condition. For example, your current break out does not mean you have an oily skin type. You may be menopausal with dry skin but suffering from hormonal acne. That would be your current "skin condition". Your skin type is the skin you were born with, your genetic make up.
Hormonal fluctuations, environmental conditions, diet, nutritional deficiencies, excessive sugar in you diet and age play a role in the health and appearance of your skin.
Sometimes it’s all peaches and cream and smooth sailing. Other times not so much.
Looking within is very much a part of your skin care improvement journey.
Getting to the underlying cause of why you may be experiencing inflamed skin, rapid aging, etc., and getting appropriate treatment, can significantly alleviate your current condition.
Correcting from within, along with a good natural and effective skincare routine, will fast track you to a healthy glowing complexion.
The Aesthetician's Approach
As an aesthetician, when someone comes to me for a treatment, I treat the skin condition as it appears on the day of the visit. I then recommend a home maintenance regime for the skin type as near as I can determine the client has on an average day, along with a specialty treatment for any present conditions, i.e. break outs, dry flakey, inflamed, or targeting fine lines and wrinkles.
Determine your skin type
Firstly, wash your face with a gentle cleanser, pat dry, then leave your face alone for an hour or so. Do not apply anything at all. After an hour or so, assess how your skin feels.
If after washing and leaving your skin untreated for a couple of hours your skin feels tight, looks dull, and may have some flakiness, you likely have Dry Skin. Also see Aging Skin and Post Menopausal Skin.
If after washing and leaving your skin untreated for a couple of hours your skin feels tight, maybe tingly and looks flushed, you probably have Sensitive Skin.
If after washing and leaving your skin untreated for a couple of hours your skin feels neither one way or the other, dry nor oily, facial movement does not feel tight and there is no shine in the t-zone, you are lucky to have near perfect skin. You probably fall under the “Normal Skin” category.
If after washing and leaving your skin untreated for a couple of hours your skin does not feel dry but you notice a shine or residual (oilier than cheeks) feeling in the t-zone, you likely have Normal/Combination Skin.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is generally lacking in oil production (as opposed to dehydrated skin that is skin that is going through a dry phase due to environmental conditions and/or sun damage, this would be your current skin "condition")
Young or mature skin cab be dry, but typically this occurs in a more mature person. As we age our skin becomes thinner and lipid production diminishes causing skin to loose it's moisture and become consistently dry. Post menopausal women may also experience dry skin.
The goal for treating dry/aging skin is to fight against moisture loss and provide protection from the elements. Use a moisturizer that has a good humectant (glycerine, sodium hyaluronic acid) to help hold moisture to the skin.
How it looks:
- Scaly patches and feeling of tightness
- Very small pores, visible lines
- Often dryer in the winter months
- Fine lines and wrinkles (on more mature skin)
Recommended Treatment:
DAY
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
- Anti-Oxidant: Protect Antioxidant Oil Serum
- Moisturize: Avocado Jasmine HA
NIGHT
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Exfoliation: Adelphie Natural Exfoliating Grains
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Gel
- Anti-Oxidant: Nigella Face Rescue Balm
- Moisturizer: Tahitian Age Defy
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Dehydrated Skin (Current condition not Type)
A little more on dehydrated skin condition. Dehydrated skin literally lacks water. Causes of dehydrated skin vary and are not specific to age and can be worsened by external elements, ie. wind, central heating, dry air.
Young and more mature skin can both suffer from dehydration. Water intake is important but so is choosing skin care products that hold moisture to the skin. Dehydrated skin is often difficult to discern from true dry skin.
Dehydrated skin benefits immensely from periodic misting of toner during the day and products that have humectant properties (water attracting) such as glycerin, hyaluronic acid and tamarind seed extract.
What it looks like:
- Frequently delicate, thin, flaky, scaly appearance
- May feel tight and uncomfortable when expressions are made
- May have fine pores (not always) and be prone to fine lines and sun damage
- Current condition of the skin may be due to extrinsic conditions e.g. sun damage, wind, dry air causing water loss.
- inadequate water intake
Recommended Treatment:
DAY
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Nigella Face Rescue Balm
- Moisturize: Avocado Jasmine HA
NIGHT
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Gel
- Anti-Oxidant: Nigella Face Rescue Balm
- Moisturize: Avocado Jasmine HA
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Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin may have a smooth luminosity and be pinkish to red cheeked at times. It requires gentle treatment to calm and prevent irritation. Both Oily and Dry skin types can be sensitive but is mostly associated with dry skin. Skin often reacts to new products so it is always best to patch test a new product before full on use of a new product.
Simple is best for sensitive skin.
How it looks:
- Flushes easily and is easily aggravated by environmental conditions and some topical substances
- Tends to be dry, especially in the cheek areas
- May react to sensitizing chemical ingredients i.e.. Preservatives and fragrance, alcohol toners
- Allergic and rosacea type skin may fall under this category
Recommended Treatment:
DAY
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Hydrating Rose Toner
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Gel
- Moisturize: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
NIGHT
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Hydrating Rose Toner
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Gel
- Antioxidant: Protect Antioxidant Oil Serum
- Moisturize: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
BUY THE FULL COLLECTION!
Normal Skin
Normal skin tends to the be type that is overlooked as far as skin care goes as it doesn’t appear to need any specific correction.
However, maintenance of good skin is key and it’s imperative to have a regime that nourishes and keeps it in its good condition for the long haul to postpone the aging process.
How it looks:
- Appears perfect to the naked eye.
- Skin appears plump, soft, smooth and has even pores and colour tones.
- Functions normally without any excess oiliness or dry patches.
Recommended Treatment:
DAY
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
- Antioxidant: Organic Antioxidant Oil (on cheeks only)
- Moisturize: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
NIGHT
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Serum
- Antioxidant: Nigella Face Rescue Balm (on cheeks only)
- Moisturize: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
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Normal/Combination Skin
This skin type has all the good qualities of Normal Skin but usually exhibits a range from slight to extreme oily t-zone (nose, chin, forehead) but less so on the cheeks.
The objective in your skin care regime for combination skin is to balance the oilier t-zone area and provide moisture to the cheek and eye areas.
If your t-zone is evidently oilier and you have blocked pores and evidence of breakouts in this area, you should treat your skin as two different skins, that is, moisturize cheeks and eye area only, and mask and exfoliate in t-zone area only.
How it looks:
- May appear to have larger pores in the T-zone area
- Cheeks may be a lot dryer, maybe even a little flaky or scaly at times
- Usually healthy blemish free but, with congestion in the T-zone only
Recommended Treatment:
DAY
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Hydrating Rose Toner
- Serum: Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
- Moisturize: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer (only on cheeks, gently under eye area and on neck)
NIGHT
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Hydrating Rose Toner
- Exfoliation: Natural Exfoliation Grains (mixed with Glow! Cleanser to make a smooth paste) Exfoliate T-Zone, chin & forehead only
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Serum
- Moisturize: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer on cheeks, gently under eye area and on neck.
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Aging Skin and Post Menopausal Skin (Condition not Type)
It is never too late to start a nurturing and rejuvenating skin care routine!
Although Aging and Post Menopausal Skin is a condition not a type (you may be dry, oily or sensitive), your skin care routine should now focus on addressing fine lines and wrinkles. Using products to fight free radical damage (anti-oxidants), adding anti-aging peptides will definitely do this.
Note: I have lumped menopausal skin condition in this category for a reason. Dramatic changes to the skin occur post menopause. Low post-menopausal estrogen levels accelerate skin aging as collagen production decreases dramatically, i.e. Sagging, wrinkling, increased pigmentation and a “rash” of other skin irritations. This is a perfect time to step up your maintenance routine to a higher level. Post menopausal skin can bring on adult acne (most distressing) so assess your current condition and find the appropriate product to treat it until it clears, then resume with your anti-aging care.
How it Looks:
- Pores may appear enlarged, wrinkles evident due to loss of collagen, elasticity and general thinning of the skin.
- Sallow, ashen, dull looking skin
Recommended Treatment:
DAY
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Vitamin C Antioxidant Serum
- Antioxidant: Nigella Face Rescue Balm
- Moisturize: Tahitian Age Defy
NIGHT
- Cleanse: Glow! Cleanser/Moisturizer
- Tone: Age Defy Toner
- Serum: Peptide Age Defy Serum
- Moisturize: Tahitian Age Defy
